Sodiq Yusuff continues his journey up the UFC featherweight ladder against Edson Barboza, one of the sport's most battle-tested veterans. Yusuff vs. Barboza headlines the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Yusuff (13-2) is one of the more promising fighters to emerge from "Dana White's Contender Series." An impressive 7-1 stretch has anointed him as the No. 11 ranked featherweight in the UFC's official rankings. Yusuff argues that an impressive showcase against one of his idols should put him close to a featherweight title shot in a division short of deserving contenders.
"Probably two more after that," Yusuff told CBS Sports. "I never look past anyone I'm fighting but, after this, I think it's two more fighting up [the rankings]. This is my third time fighting backward. After this, I need to put my foot down. No more fighting backward, I need to fight forward."
Check out the full interview with Sodiq Yusuff below.
Barboza (23-11) is one of the longer-tenured UFC fighters still competing at a high level. He boasts wins over former world champions Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez. Barboza has also traded leather with some of the sport's most acclaimed fighters including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson. A marvelous striker, Barboza's spinning wheel kick knockout of Terry Etim and jumping knee KO of Beneil Dariush will live in highlight reels forever. Barboza (No. 13) has mastered the art of eight limbs and firmly believes he's the best striker this sport has seen.
"I have a lot of tools to finish the fight," Barboza told CBS Sports when asked to rank the best strikers in mixed martial arts. "If you see those guys, all those guys are unbelievable and are the best guys in the world. But I finished guys with low kicks, body punch, body kicks, high kicks, knees. I have a lot of options to finish my opponents."
Check out the full interview with Edson Barboza below.
The undercard on Saturday night features some rising prospects looking to make a name for themselves. Jennifer Maia and Viviana Araujo are looking to get back into the title picture at women's flyweight when they meet in the co-main event. Jonathan Martinez and Adrian Yanez are set to slug it out at bantamweight. Action star Michel Pereira takes on Andre Petroski in a pivotal middleweight clash. A catchweight contest between Edgar Chairez and Daniel Lacerda is also set for the main card. And to open the show, Christian Rodriguez will take on Cameron Saaiman at bantamweight.
Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news, including a complete preview of UFC Fight Night below.
Below is the rest of the fight card for Saturday with the latest odds before we get to a prediction and pick on the main event.
UFC Fight Night card, odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weight class |
|---|---|---|
| Sodiq Yusuff -165 | Edson Barboza +140 | Featherweight |
| Jennifer Maia -155 | Viviana Araujo +130 | Women's flyweight |
| Jonathan Martinez -115 | Adrian Yanez -105 | Bantamweight |
| Michel Pereira -205 | Andre Petroski +170 | Middleweight |
| Edgar Chairez -350 | Daniel Lacerda +275 | Catchweight |
| Christian Rodriguez -160 | Cameron Saaiman +135 | Bantamweight |
UFC Fight Night viewing information
Date: Oct. 14 | Start time: 7 p.m. ET (main card)
Location: UFC Apex -- Las Vegas
TV channel: ESPN+
Prediction
Sodiq Yusuff vs. Edson Barboza: Do not sleep on Barboza. His longevity is a credit to his powerful strikes and savvy trap setting. The word "pressure" is often thrown out when game planning for Barboza. "Just pressure him." Billy Quarantillo tried that and was knocked out in half a round. Beating Barboza requires some combination of skillful offensive wrestling, stamina, a strong chin and KO power. Yusuff has not shown to date the wrestling required to give Barboza fits. In fact, Barboza has better takedown numbers. Yusuff has KO power but it's not remarkable. The younger fighter is more active and elusive but it's hard to win a technical striking match against Barboza. Yusuff's unanimous decision win over savvy striker Alex Caceres inspires only some confidence.
Yusuff will find the most success in prolonging the fight. Barboza, 37, is a muscular featherweight fighting down from where he started his career. We've seen Barboza's pace taper off by Round 3. We haven't seen Yusuff in a five-round fight but he has a much higher win percentage via decision. It's imperative that Yusuff be patient if he wants to win this fight. Nostalgia may influence this pick but I'm going to ride with the veteran to stop the fight within three rounds. Barboza via KO2
Who wins UFC Fight Night: Yusuff vs. Barboza? And how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $6,200 in 2022, and find out.
